Paper-weight



(Nu Modl.)

E. C. GIPE.

PAPER WEIGHT. No. 592,969. Patented Nov. 2, 1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT einen.

EMANUEL C. GIPE, OF FREEPORT, ILLINOIS.

PAPER-WEIGHT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of vLetters Patent No. 592,968, dated November 2, 1897. Application filed November 27,1896. Serial No. 613 ,559. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, EMANUEL C. GIPE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Freeport, in the county of Stephenson and State of Illinois, have invented certain Anew and useful Improvements in Paper-Weights, of 'which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in paper-weights, and more particularly to a paper-weight comprising atransparent shell, a block within the shell, and preferably detachable means for clamping the parts together. The block may, if desired, have its surface ornamented, or a suitably-ornamented card may be interposed between theblocl and shell, orV the upper face of the block may be formed into a puzzle or other interesting feature designed to make th paper-weight more attractive and valuab e.

The invention is fully described in this specication and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure Il is a perspective View of my improved paper-weight. Fig. 2 is an end View of the same. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section in line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a card and block. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a clasp used to connect the parts together; and Fig. 6 is a cross-section in line 6 6, Fig.

ln the views, A represents a transparent shell, a being the face thereof, a the sides, and a2 the ends. In the ends of the shell are formed vertical external grooves o3 as, having at their upper ends short horizontal extensions at 0,4 in the upper surface of the shell and at their lower ends extensions across the end walls or,2 c2. These grooves are adapted and intended to receive the ends of a spring-clasp, which is hereinafter more fully described.

The block B is preferably of some semitransparent material-such as china, porcelain, &c.-and is of such size as to conveniently iit in the shell, and has in its upper face an elongated recess or ball-race b, raised semicircular stalls b' being formed in this recess. These stalls open in one direction and are preferably located along`the center line of the ball-race, and a series vof balls C, of eqnalnumber to the stalls, are placed in the ball-race and are free to rolltherein. This forms a puzzle the solution of which is to get all of the balls seated in the stalls.

Between the block and shell I have interposed a card D, formed with a central opening cl, corresponding with the ball-race b, and folded into the shape shown in Fig. 4f in order that it may cover the upper face of the block and the two sides thereof. rlhis card may be suitably -ornamented or advertising matter may be printed thereon, its surface adording avery good space for such purpose. The card may, however, be dispensed with and the block itself be printed or chased in any suitable man ner to give it a pleasing appearance, and the puzzle above described may, if desired, be left out or any diiferent style of puzzle used in its place.

- The block and shell may be secured together by various means, but the one which I have shown in the drawings, especially in Fig. 5, and which l consider the most practical and suitable one for this purpose, consists of a spring-clasp E, formed of a single piece of spring-wire bent to forni a central arch e, having ends bent into the converging end portions e', which terminate in the hooks e2.V

In applying the clasp to the device one end of the same is placed in the groove d3 on one side and the opposite end sprung outward slightly and forced upward along the opposite groove CL3 until the hooked end springs into the horizontal portion a4of the groove. When the different parts of the device are thus assembled, the ends of the clasp are seated in the grooves in the end of the shell and the arch e in a longitudinally-extending groove b2, formed in the under side of the block B, the hooked ends of the clasp engaging the shoulders a". From the above it will readily be seen that the arch e will force the block B tightly against the shell A, the spring being given such tension as to perform its function properly. This spring-clasp is very advantageous for the reason that in molding the different parts of this device considerable variation'of thickness of the same is unavoidable, and the use of a yielding clasp like the one above described overcomes any difficulty which might arise from such variation.

Having new described and explained my invention, what l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

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l. The combination of the shell, A, having the upright grooves, d3, in the edges, depressions, a4, to forni shoulders in the grooves,

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the bloek, B, lying Within said shell, and the flexible clasp, E, having a middle portion, e, bearing upward against the bottom of the block, the uptnrned portions, e', resting in the grooves, d3, and the hooked ends, e2, engaging the shoulders in said grooves; substantially as described.

'2. The combination With the shell, A, having the upright grooves, d3, in its edges saidk grooves being extended horizontally at the top to formlshonlders and at the bottom across EMANUEL C. GIPE.

l/Vitnesses:

CLAUDE U. KRAUSE, ANDRE A. BEAUMONT. 

